Latest news with #TrumpMuskAlliance
CBS News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- CBS News
How Trump and Musk's relationship has unfolded over the years — from feud to alliance, and back again
The alliance between President Trump and Elon Musk went up in flames Thursday, days after the world's richest man left the administration and tried to wield his influence to kill a massive budget bill that is central to enacting the president's top legislative priorities. Their spat played out in public and marked another remarkable turn for Musk, who spent tens of millions on Mr. Trump's reelection campaign and was given the reins to slash the size of the federal government. Here's a look back at how Mr. Trump and Musk got here: Trump "not the right guy," Musk says in 2016 The Tesla CEO praised Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's economic and environmental policies as "the right ones" in an interview with CNBC before the 2016 election. "I feel a bit stronger that he is not the right guy," Musk said of Mr. Trump at the time. "He doesn't seem to have the sort of character that reflects well on the United States." "I don't think this is the finest moment in our democracy," Musk added. Musk joins — and quits — Trump administration roles Shortly after Mr. Trump's first term began, Musk joined a handful of White House advisory boards, including Mr. Trump's "manufacturing jobs council." But Musk left those roles just months later, citing Mr. Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords. "Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world," Musk tweeted in June 2017. Musk continued to have a close relationship with the federal government, however, as his rocket company SpaceX has billions in contracts with NASA and other agencies. Mr. Trump praised Musk at a 2020 SpaceX launch in Florida, saying at one point: "I speak to him all the time. Great guy. He's one of our great brains. We like great brains. And Elon has done a fantastic job." President Trump talks with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk at the White House on Feb. 3, 2017. Evan Vucci / AP Musk sours on Democrats in 2022 — but still feuds with Trump In May 2022, Musk said he was ending his support for Democrats because "they have become the party of division & hate." "So I can no longer support them and will vote Republican," Musk tweeted, later adding that he voted for Clinton in 2016 and former President Joe Biden in 2020. But just two months later, Musk suggested he didn't support Mr. Trump launching another run for the White House amid a public spat with the then-former president over the course of several days in July 2022. Mr. Trump called the Tesla CEO a "b---s--- artist" at a rally and said his companies would be "worthless" without federal backing, while Musk tweeted Mr. Trump should "hang up his hat & sail into the sunset." Later in 2022, Musk purchased Twitter, now known as X, and quickly reinstated Mr. Trump's account, which had been suspended since the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The reinstatement came four days after Mr. Trump announced his third run for the presidency after losing to Biden. In the Republican presidential primary, Musk initially threw his support behind one of Mr. Trump's rivals, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. In May 2023, the billionaire and the Floridian appeared together on a glitchy Twitter livestream to launch DeSantis' campaign. Musk endorses Trump in 2024, wields influence The tech billionaire formally endorsed Mr. Trump on July 13, 2024, moments after Mr. Trump survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. "I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery," Musk wrote alongside video of the bloodied presidential candidate raising his fist in the air as he was surrounded by Secret Service agents. Musk joined Mr. Trump on the campaign trail and spent roughly $277 million to help elect him and other Republican candidates, mostly through a Musk-backed super PAC called America PAC, campaign finance records show. Mr. Trump shouted Musk out during his election night victory speech: "A star is born," Mr. Trump said. "He's an amazing guy." Before Mr. Trump was inaugurated for a second term, Musk used his political influence in December 2024 to whip up outrage against a bipartisan spending bill and torpedo it days before a potential government shutdown. Elon Musk jumps on the stage as President Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show on Oct. 5, 2024 in Butler, Pa. Evan Vucci / AP Musk joins Trump administration, spearheading DOGE Mr. Trump appointed Musk to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which was tasked with cutting federal government spending, but fell far short of Musk's $1 trillion goal. Musk quickly became a member of Mr. Trump's inner circle, participating in Cabinet meetings and traveling on Air Force One with his young son. Less than a month into his government service, Musk professed on X: "I love @realDonaldTrump as much as a straight man can love another man." DOGE quickly gained vast influence within the Trump administration, slashing government staff and nearly dismantling some federal agencies. Musk and Mr. Trump appeared together in the Oval Office in February — with Musk's son in tow — and jointly answered questions from the press. President Trump listens as Elon Musk, joined by his son X Æ A-Xii, speaks in the Oval Office on Feb. 11. Alex Brandon / AP Mr. Trump stood by Musk as some of his efforts drew backlash. In late February, a DOGE-backed email telling federal employees to report what they had accomplished in the preceding week sparked confusion in some agencies. During a Cabinet meeting days later, Mr. Trump called Musk "tremendously successful" and said people were "thrilled" with his performance — and said federal workers who haven't responded to the emails are "on the bubble." When Tesla faced protests from Trump opponents, the president boosted Musk, climbing into a Tesla on the White House South Lawn in March and calling the car "beautiful." Days prior, Mr. Trump said on Truth Social he would "buy a brand new Tesla" as a show of support for Musk, who the president said was "doing a FANTASTIC JOB." President Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk speak to reporters as they sit in a red Model S Tesla vehicle on the South Lawn of the White House on March 11. / AP Musk clashed with White House trade adviser Peter Navarro in April over Mr. Trump's tariff strategy. Musk called Navarro "dumber than a sack of bricks" after Navarro said Tesla relies on "cheap foreign parts." Mr. Trump's White House didn't take sides: "Boys will be boys," press secretary Karoline Leavitt said. In a late April Cabinet meeting, Mr. Trump praised and thanked Musk — but suggested his time in government would end soon. "You're invited to stay as long as you want. At some point, he wants to get back home to his cars," Mr. Trump said, as he and his Cabinet led a round of applause for the billionaire. President Trump to @elonmusk: "We just want to thank you very much. And, you know, you're invited to stay as long as you want. At some point, he wants to get back home to his cars." — CSPAN (@cspan) April 30, 2025 Musk leaves administration and ramps up criticism Days before wrapping up his work for the federal government, Musk began criticizing a massive piece of legislation aimed at advancing Mr. Trump's second-term agenda. Musk told "CBS News Sunday Morning" he was "disappointed" in the price tag of the package, which would extend Mr. Trump's signature 2017 tax cuts, boost border security spending, impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients and roll back clean energy tax credits. Musk left his position in the administration on May 30 after reaching the maximum number of days he could serve as a special government employee. Musk, who had a black eye, stood next to Mr. Trump in the Oval Office as the president praised the billionaire's government work and called him "one of the greatest business leaders and innovators the world has ever produced." "Elon's really not leaving. He's going to be back and forth, I think, I have a feeling," Mr. Trump said. Musk said he would continue to serve as a "friend and adviser" to the president. President Trump presents a key to Elon Musk during a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House on May 30. Evan Vucci / AP Musk-Trump spat bursts wide open In the following days, Musk escalated his criticism of the legislation Mr. Trump has dubbed a "big, beautiful bill," calling it a "disgusting abomination" in a lengthy early June tirade on his social media platform. The insults continued through the week, reaching a climax on June 5 with Mr. Trump threatening to cancel Musk's lucrative government contracts and Musk claiming that Mr. Trump could not have won the presidency without him. Musk said he would shut down a SpaceX program that NASA relies on to transport astronauts — before later backtracking — and seemed to endorse an X post calling for Mr. Trump to be impeached. Musk also warned Republican lawmakers: "Trump has 3.5 years left as President, but I will be around for 40+ years." During the back-and-forth, Mr. Trump claimed that he asked Musk to leave his administration and upset him with a provision in the budget bill that would end tax credits for electric vehicles. "Elon was 'wearing thin,' I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!" the president wrote. Musk then alleged that Mr. Trump's name appeared in the files related to the case of Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier who died by suicide in federal custody in 2019 while facing charges of sex trafficking. "@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public," Musk wrote. "Have a nice day, DJT!" In response to the spat, Leavitt called it an "unfortunate episode from Elon." A red Tesla is parked on West Executive Drive on the White House campus on June 5, 2025 — the same day as Elon Musk and President Trump's public feud. Alex Brandon / AP
New York Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Musk vs. Trump, and a Surge in Whooping Cough
Hosted by Tracy Mumford Produced by Will Jarvis and Ian Stewart Edited by Ian Stewart and Tracy Mumford Featuring Tyler Pager and Teddy Rosenbluth Trump and Musk's Unlikely Alliance Breaks Down in Rapid and Public Fashion, by Tyler Pager and Theodore Schleifer After Trump and Xi Speak, U.S. and China Agree to Revive Trade Talks, by Ana Swanson and David Pierson Israel Armed Palestinian Militia to Fight Hamas, Officials Say, by Aaron Boxerman and Patrick Kingsley Whooping Cough Is Surging. Do You Need Another Shot?, by Teddy Rosenbluth Land Snorkeling? Townsizing? A User's Guide to the Latest Travel Lingo., by Elaine Glusac Tune in, and tell us what you think at theheadlines@ For corrections, email nytnews@ For more audio journalism and storytelling, download the New York Times Audio app — available to Times news subscribers on iOS — and sign up for our weekly newsletter.
Sky News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Trump v Musk: The big, beautiful bust-up everyone knew was coming
And so, in the end, it was the big, beautiful bill that prompted the big, beautiful bust-up almost everyone knew was coming. Ever since the Trump and Musk alliance was formed almost a year ago, megalomaniac watchers the world over have been asking when and how it would end. Now we have our answer; 137 days into Trump's presidency and with the fire-powered ferocity of one of Musk's rocket launches. At times, it felt voyeuristic to watch, the kind of rubbernecking that takes place with the ugliest of celebrity breakups. It's a Brangelina inside the beltway, but with implications far beyond it. Because Musk was as close to the president as anyone outside his own family. He spent weekends living at Trump's Mar-a-Lago home, his mum attended parties there, his son wiped his bogies on the resolute desk. But like so many domestic disputes, it got very messy, very quickly. As always when Trump has something to say, he waits for the inevitable question. It came immediately after his meeting inside the Oval Office with German Chancellor Freidrich Merz. A journalist asked about Musk's criticism of his "big, beautiful" bill. Trump saw his opening. "I've always liked Elon. I'd rather have him criticise me than the bill," he said, quickly noting that he and Musk had a great relationship. "I don't know if we will anymore," he added. Less than half an hour later, a post on X by Musk made it very apparent that they would, indeed, no longer have a great relationship. "Without me, Trump would have lost the election," he wrote. It was a torpedo that unleashed an, at times, unhinged back and forth including an unfounded allegation from Musk about Trump being part of the "Epstein files". Just a week after Trump presented Musk with a golden key in a grand farewell, Musk was burning the house down. But this break up will affect everyone involved, not to mention the American public. Brand Trump will be damaged by the loss of Musk's endorsement and loyalty. 5:17 Republican politicians will be wary of angering Musk by voting for Trump's spending bill. The world's richest man has shown he is willing to put his money on the line in election races and the midterms are looming. The government's reliance on Musk's companies is also huge. Space X is the key player in space exploration and Musk has been providing invaluable advice to the White House on artificial intelligence and electric vehicles. What will now happen to the Department of Government efficiency? 1:48 Meanwhile shares are down significantly at all of Musk's companies with Trump likely to seek vengeance. There could also be an investigation, now, into allegations that Musk's drug use while in government was out of control. There are so many unknowns and one certainty - there are no winners here, apart from the comedians who trade in jokes about this pair of impulsive billionaires.
CBS News
3 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
Timeline: How Trump and Musk's relationship has unfolded over the years — from feud to alliance, and back again
The alliance between President Trump and Elon Musk went up in flames Thursday, days after the world's richest man left the administration and tried to wield his influence to kill a massive budget bill that is central to enacting the president's top legislative priorities. Their spat played out in public and marked another remarkable turn for Musk, who spent tens of millions on Mr. Trump's reelection campaign and was given the reins to slash the size of the federal government. Here's a look back at how Mr. Trump and Musk got here: Trump "not the right guy," Musk says in 2016 The Tesla CEO praised Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's economic and environmental policies as "the right ones" in an interview with CNBC before the 2016 election. "I feel a bit stronger that he is not the right guy," Musk said of Mr. Trump at the time. "He doesn't seem to have the sort of character that reflects well on the United States." "I don't think this is the finest moment in our democracy," Musk added. Musk joins — and quits — Trump administration roles Shortly after Mr. Trump's first term began, Musk joined a handful of White House advisory boards, including Mr. Trump's "manufacturing jobs council." But Musk left those roles just months later, citing Mr. Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Accords. "Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world," Musk tweeted in June 2017. Musk continued to have a close relationship with the federal government, however, as his rocket company SpaceX has billions in contracts with NASA and other agencies. Mr. Trump praised Musk at a 2020 SpaceX launch in Florida, saying at one point: "I speak to him all the time. Great guy. He's one of our great brains. We like great brains. And Elon has done a fantastic job." President Trump talks with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk at the White House on Feb. 3, 2017. Evan Vucci / AP Musk sours on Democrats in 2022 — but still feuds with Trump In May 2022, Musk said he was ending his support for Democrats because "they have become the party of division & hate." "So I can no longer support them and will vote Republican," Musk tweeted, later adding that he voted for Clinton in 2016 and former President Joe Biden in 2020. But just two months later, Musk suggested he didn't support Mr. Trump launching another run for the White House amid a public spat with the then-former president over the course of several days in July 2022. Mr. Trump called the Tesla CEO a "b---s--- artist" at a rally and said his companies would be "worthless" without federal backing, while Musk tweeted Mr. Trump should "hang up his hat & sail into the sunset." Later in 2022, Musk purchased Twitter, now known as X, and quickly reinstated Mr. Trump's account, which had been suspended since the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. The reinstatement came four days after Mr. Trump announced his third run for the presidency after losing to Biden. In the Republican presidential primary, Musk initially threw his support behind one of Mr. Trump's rivals, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. In May 2023, the billionaire and the Floridian appeared together on a glitchy Twitter livestream to launch DeSantis' campaign. Musk endorses Trump in 2024, wields influence The tech billionaire formally endorsed Mr. Trump on July 13, 2024, moments after Mr. Trump survived an assassination attempt at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. "I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery," Musk wrote alongside video of the bloodied presidential candidate raising his fist in the air as he was surrounded by Secret Service agents. Musk joined Mr. Trump on the campaign trail and spent roughly $277 million to help elect him and other Republican candidates, mostly through a Musk-backed super PAC called America PAC, campaign finance records show. Mr. Trump shouted Musk out during his election night victory speech: "A star is born," Mr. Trump said. "He's an amazing guy." Before Mr. Trump was inaugurated for a second term, Musk used his political influence in December 2024 to whip up outrage against a bipartisan spending bill and torpedo it days before a potential government shutdown. Elon Musk jumps on the stage as President Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Show on Oct. 5, 2024 in Butler, Pa. Evan Vucci / AP Musk joins Trump administration, spearheading DOGE Mr. Trump appointed Musk to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which was tasked with cutting federal government spending, but fell far short of Musk's $1 trillion goal. Musk quickly became a member of Mr. Trump's inner circle, participating in Cabinet meetings and traveling on Air Force One with his young son. Less than a month into his government service, Musk professed on X: "I love @realDonaldTrump as much as a straight man can love another man." DOGE quickly gained vast influence within the Trump administration, slashing government staff and nearly dismantling some federal agencies. Musk and Mr. Trump appeared together in the Oval Office in February — with Musk's son in tow — and jointly answered questions from the press. President Trump listens as Elon Musk, joined by his son X Æ A-Xii, speaks in the Oval Office on Feb. 11. Alex Brandon / AP Mr. Trump stood by Musk as some of his efforts drew backlash. In late February, a DOGE-backed email telling federal employees to report what they had accomplished in the preceding week sparked confusion in some agencies. During a Cabinet meeting days later, Mr. Trump called Musk "tremendously successful" and said people were "thrilled" with his performance — and said federal workers who haven't responded to the emails are "on the bubble." When Tesla faced protests from Trump opponents, the president boosted Musk, climbing into a Tesla on the White House South Lawn in March and calling the car "beautiful." Days prior, Mr. Trump said on Truth Social he would "buy a brand new Tesla" as a show of support for Musk, who the president said was "doing a FANTASTIC JOB." President Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk speak to reporters as they sit in a red Model S Tesla vehicle on the South Lawn of the White House on March 11. / AP Musk clashed with White House trade adviser Peter Navarro in April over Mr. Trump's tariff strategy. Musk called Navarro "dumber than a sack of bricks" after Navarro said Tesla relies on "cheap foreign parts." Mr. Trump's White House didn't take sides: "Boys will be boys," Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said. In a late April Cabinet meeting, Mr. Trump praised and thanked Musk — but suggested his time in government could end soon. "You're invited to stay as long as you want. At some point, he wants to get back home to his cars," Mr. Trump said, as he and his Cabinet led a round of applause for the billionaire. President Trump to @elonmusk: "We just want to thank you very much. And, you know, you're invited to stay as long as you want. At some point, he wants to get back home to his cars." — CSPAN (@cspan) April 30, 2025 Musk leaves administration and ramps up criticism Days before wrapping up his work for the federal government, Musk began criticizing a massive piece of legislation aimed at advancing Mr. Trump's second-term agenda. Musk told "CBS News Sunday Morning" he was "disappointed" in the package, which would extend Mr. Trump's signature 2017 tax cuts, boost border security spending, impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients and roll back clean energy tax credits. Musk left his position in the administration on May 30 after reaching the maximum number of days he could serve as a special government employee. Musk, who had a black eye, stood next to Mr. Trump in the Oval Office as the president praised the billionaire's government work and called him "one of the greatest business leaders and innovators the world has ever produced." "Elon's really not leaving. He's going to be back and forth, I think, I have a feeling," Mr. Trump said. Musk said he would continue to serve as a "friend and adviser" to the president. President Trump presents a key to Elon Musk during a news conference in the Oval Office of the White House on May 30. Evan Vucci / AP Musk-Trump spat bursts wide open In the following days, Musk escalated his criticism of the legislation Mr. Trump has dubbed a "big, beautiful bill," calling it a "disgusting abomination" in a lengthy early June tirade on his social media platform. The insults continued through the week, reaching a climax on June 5 with Mr. Trump threatening to cancel Musk's lucrative government contracts and Musk claiming that Mr. Trump could not have won the presidency without him. Musk said he would shut down a SpaceX program that NASA relies on to transport astronauts — before later backtracking — and seemed to endorse an X post calling for Mr. Trump to be impeached. During the back-and-forth, Mr. Trump claimed that he asked Musk to leave his administration and upset him with a provision in the budget bill that would end tax credits for electric vehicles. "Elon was 'wearing thin,' I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!" the president wrote. Musk then alleged that Mr. Trump's name appeared in the files related to the case of Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier who died by suicide in federal custody in 2019 while facing charges of sex trafficking. "@realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public," Musk wrote. "Have a nice day, DJT!" In response to the spat, Leavitt called it an "unfortunate episode from Elon." A red Tesla is parked on West Executive Drive on the White House campus on June 5, 2025 — the same day as Elon Musk and President Trump's public feud. Alex Brandon / AP
New York Times
3 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
Trump and Musk's Unlikely Alliance Breaks Down in Rapid and Public Fashion
It was always the most unlikely of alliances. Last year, two mercurial billionaires formed a partnership and vowed to drive the country in a new direction. Donald Trump had the political power. Elon Musk had the money and social media might. But on Thursday, their union dissolved in remarkably public and rapid fashion, with the two men attacking each other over matters both significant and petty. Beyond the immediate drama, the breakup of the president and the world's richest man upended one of the most powerful dynamics shaping Mr. Trump's second term. Their dispute began days ago over the president's signature domestic policy bill, which Mr. Musk had panned as a 'disgusting abomination.' But it escalated uncontrollably on Thursday into a fight over who deserved more credit for Mr. Trump's election victory, why Mr. Musk had not covered up his black eye with makeup during an Oval Office appearance last week and why Mr. Trump had abruptly dropped his support for a Musk associate nominated to lead NASA. The sparring swiftly devolved into threats on their respective social media platforms, as Mr. Trump threatened to cut the billions in dollars in federal government contracts with Mr. Musk's companies. For his part, Mr. Musk unleashed a tirade of attacks on the man he had once lavishly praised. He suggested it might be time to create a new political party, claimed there were references to Mr. Trump in government documents about the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and indicated his support for a post calling for the president's impeachment. transcript Trump and Musk Sling Personal Attacks I'm very disappointed in Elon. I've helped Elon a lot. Look, Elon and I had a great relationship. I don't know if we will anymore. I was surprised — because you were here. Everybody in this room practically was here, as we had a wonderful sendoff. He said wonderful things about me. You couldn't have nicer — said the best things. Elon's upset because we took the E.V. mandate, which was a lot of money for electric vehicles, and they're having a hard time — the electric vehicles — and they want us to pay billions of dollars in subsidy. And Elon knew this from the beginning. He knew it for a long time ago. That's been in there, that's been — I would say JD — that hasn't changed. That's been right from the beginning. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
